Just to nitpick on a historical note there was a time when the DAP was supportive of the ISA, specifically to fight communism… this was even enshrined in the Setapak Declaration, where the party said the ISA had it’s place but we must all be vigilante in ensuring it is not abused.

Of course that was then and this is now… there is no rationale for the ISA now.

After ten years have passed since Indonesia started democratization process following the breakdown of the New Order authoritarianism, a feeling of disappointment, dissatisfaction, and disillusion is widely shared among many Indonesians pertaining to the role of democracy in improving the condition of the nation.

Despite substantial changes in the political system that have allowed the people to voice their demands openly and expressively, the fact that multi socioeconomic problems such as poverty, lack of public security and safety, poor public services, and so forth are severely prevalent casts a conviction that the presence of democracy has not contributed to alleviating these vivid predicaments that have been around since the monetary crisis plunged the country into unending turmoil. Living in a despairing situation like this could evoke one to dismiss democracy.
From a sociological view, however, what we see in Indonesia today is not so much the failure of democratic system as many would suggest but rather the failure of the state to perform its duty of serving the public interests and needs. The malfunctioning of the state elements to provide minimum level of public services in various sectors and structures indicates the condition of weak state characterized by deteriorating organizational and institutional capacities.
Australian observer of Indonesia Harold Crouch argues that the weak condition of the post-Soeharto state is mostly caused by the abrupt disappearance of patrimonial structures that heavily underpinned Soeharto’s power for three decades. Once the regime fell down, the state institution underwent unprecedented destabilization that consequently led to deformation of authority structures running from the central government in Jakarta all the way down to local bureaucracy.
Adding to Crouch’s observation is a set of structural changes which unintendedly disrupt the system of authority held by the central state since democratic principles were materialized.
The first of these is the shift from one party to multiparty system in which the dominance of the ruling Golkar was challenged by the entry of other political parties previously suppressed during the New Order. This creates a fragmented politics marked by vigorous struggles over power of the state among different political groups bearing different ideologies and agendas.
As the operation of the state is controlled by more than one politically driven entities each of which has different, often contradictory, interests, it is difficult for the state apparatus to deliver public goods under coherent planning. Within such strife, effectively coordinated policies are difficult to achieve since policies are drawn towards mere interests of those seizing government agencies.

Producing similarly disruptive effects to the central state is the ongoing process of decentralization. Starting in 2002 with intention to empower provincial governments, decentralization appears only to reduce authority of the central government without significant development of capacity on the side of local governments.
The results, as many observers have lamented, have been paradoxical in which more financial and political resources transferred from Jakarta to local governments are used by local elites to fulfill their own material interests sometimes with stark demonstration to their own constituents.

The imposition of neoliberal agendas on a variety of development policies is another factor contributing to the downgrading process of the state’s capacities. This has taken place ever since Indonesia was compelled to embrace a neoliberal paradigm brought in by international financial institutions, i.e. IMF and the World Bank.

The intervention of these institutions in a number of strategic public sectors such as mining, telecommunication, infrastructure, and education were meant to increase the efficiency of the government operation through the application of market mechanism in public management.
The outcome of this simplified approach is sadly the opposite as it reduces the opportunity for the state to enhance its capacities by giving away their jobs to the global market system dominated by multinational corporations. Thus instead of creating efficient management of public goods, neoliberal policies are inclined to create unintended crises in public sectors, widening the gap between the state and the people it is supposed to serve.
Yet, our observation is incomplete if we overlook the impact of corruption to the state, an enormous cost that cannot be underestimated. Underlining three aforementioned factors that instantly cause the state to weaken does not necessarily mean that corruption is less damaging. We certainly need to keep in mind that widespread corruption, particularly in all level of bureaucracy, no doubt has the most harmful effects on the state capacity.
The commitment of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to combat corruption must be appreciated and criticized as well. Most of the efforts to eradicate corruption cases are placed on high profiled cases involving officials in the executive and legislative bodies. It seems that these anti-corruption measures are undertaken with a view that neglects the “institutionalized systemic” corruption in bureaucratic organizations due to outdated culture of bureaucracy inherited from the New Order.

This renders the state inefficient, burdensome, and lack of innovation and creativity. From this point of view, corruption is actually the effect rather than the cause, and to overcome the problem requires a whole systemic reform of bureaucratic organization incorporating meritocracy, transparency, and professional norms.
On the last note is democracy. Except neoliberal agendas, all phenomena described above, i.e. fragmented politics and decentralized authority are a corollary of democratization process. They were in fact part of the reform agenda demanded by pro-reform activists from the outset. But we need not to blame democracy for what these structural changes have caused to the state.
Democracy is both process and product, and fragmentation and decentralization underway are the path to build a better democratic system that cannot be achieved overnight. Just because democratic transition has no beneficial effects yet to the betterment of people’s lives does not mean that democracy has failed and that we need to go back to an authoritarian system.
The writer is an assistant professor in Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Yes, we the rakyat have to react now to end this irrational ISA law, which is just for the benefit for the government to stop people from expressing their unsatissfaction. How can we let one man’s decision (the stupid prime minister who is unfit for the position) decides the faith of these people who captured under the name of ISA. And what is the story about not allowing the detainee to have his medical treatment, this is outrageous, this is murder, you don’t have to kill hundreds to become a murderer, just one is enough. Loosks like the prime minister is ready to become a murderer, just to brush his ego. The agony of detained families, yes if today we do nothing to help them out of this suffer, tomorrow it will be our family. We rakyat malaysia is one family, we have to take care of our family. Lets walk towards a better Malaysia. The human rights association and all other association have to do something. I have been leaving in France for the last 10 years, I tell you the french people would have kicked this ISA and the prime minister with it long time ago. So Malaysians REACT

Abdullah knows that his Deputy, Najib Tun Razak, is secretly working against him. In a meeting last week, Abdullah whispered into Najib’s ear, “You ni tak sabar nak jadi PM ke?” You should have seen Najib’s face turn pale. He never saw that one coming. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat while searching for the right words with which to respond. But his mind went totally blank. If he had prepared himself for this he could probably have come up with a convincing response. In this instance it is better to say nothing rather than say something that would just thrust the knife deeper.http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/6324/1/

for me
the ISA is still needed..
just how to use it must be studied carefully..
for the hindraff leader..
i agreed to imposed the ISA on them..
their totally a national threat….
why i’m saying this…

1. they said malaysia currently on ethnic cleansing…wtf???
2. they threathen the gov that they will transform into tamil tiger(sri lankan militant) if gov failed to fullfilled their needs….
3. and yet all the above were written and sent to PM and foreigners countries.

for me its really worth to imposed ISA on them…
especially if was imposed to the one that is hiding in UK…
got no balls..
if you think you r right about indian rights…come back to malaysia and face the reality..

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday said he would ask MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to explain his statement that if the government continued to ignore the Indian community, he would seek support from other countries.

Anwar is fundamental to change the mindset of the Malays who are the majority of the population, where many are still brainwashed into supporting the evil UMNO blindly, and Anwar is the key to hold Pakatan together especially with the problem of the ever troublesome PAS!

Anway, I’m so sick of the double-standard and injustice of the police force. Instead of protecting all rakyat and promoting justice, it’s unjustly and barbarically busy promoting the political interests of UMNO! Sick! Sick! Sick! I can’t express it enough! So Umno supporters can hold protest anytime such as the last one in Penang and Ipoh (I thought the police promised to arrest the leaders!) and, the coming United Malay Congress in JB, but it’s pathetic and so unjust that other rakyat who don’t agree with UMNO’s dirty politics are being arrested including under ISA such as the brave Hindraf leaders who are even tortured, threatened and silenced and free press which is promoting justice for the rakyat such as Makkal Sakti and Malaysiakini being persistently intimidated, harassed and silenced!! I think Makkal Sakti should go online as Malaysiakini, and then go into printing again when Pakatan takeover, and at least they’ll be protected a little bit under international IT laws that Malaysia was forced to sign up to, in order for the foreign IT investment to be launched here.
Further more, not only the police force and special branch is swarmed by extremely sadistic-macho and sexist, fascist and racist idiots; it’s also so corruptible. I was even informed discreetly by a SUHAKAM junior officer that a victim complaint that he was beaten up by the police officers, who even boasted that gangsters are recruiting into the police force so that they can ensure their fellow criminals can get away! Plus my own cases; where I’ve made countless police reports and instead was given a run-around by the police every time, especially as I’m a woman at that! I’ve brought all the complaints against the police force with SUHAKAM; but never heard from the supposedly Human Rights Commision again (what do you expect; when the top committee is run by supporters of the ruling politicians, instead of being completely independent – actually its foundation was to appease falsely to the international community that Malaysians supposedly have such fundamental human rights avenue to turn to, “so things must be alright then in Malaysia”!). And, the increasing sexual crimes against Malaysians especially women and children; do these police force care?! Well, two of their fellow officers from the nasty special branch dept, are on a (strangely dragging on & on) trial for murdering and most probably raping Altantuya (since she was blown up naked?!); so can we expect justice from the police then? Besides, most female officers are low-ranking ones; and the force is dominated by Malays; thus why we have such sexism and racism besides (of which the force should be multicultural instead)! And the reason why the foreign nationals especially from violently sexist-macho countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia (especially from the dominant Javanese culture – they behave similarly in Indonesia towards other culture especially from non-Islamic religion – don’t forget Suharto’s mixture of capitalist and “Javanese Supremacy” ideology was involved in the mass murder of millions of Balinese Hindus, Communists, Sumaterans, Sulawesi Christians and so on, maybe there’s a program of “Javanizing” Malaysia), Southern Philippines and Nigeria, where many of these foreign nationals are committing crimes including sexual ones (that include sexual harassment and brutal rape). Further, many have no respect for local women and custom including in East Malaysia, are laughing all the way and getting off scot-free; since they could either easily corrupt the police or are just following the nasty examples set by the police force! Besides, getting that “Malay/Bumiputera” identity in their IC in exchange for votes for Umno and free houses and land for some, especially in East Malaysia, thus why the big win for BN there (even Malaysians like me don’t own land for goodness sake!).

And unfortunately and tragically, our own Malaysian younger generation are following all these nasty examples! AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO HAVE PAKATAN TAKEOVER NOW; IF WE WANT TO STOP THIS SORRY NATION-STATE FROM DEGENERATING FURTHER INTO INCREASING BARBARISM!FOR TRUE DEMOCRACY WILL NEVER DAWN ON US IF WE WAIT “POLITELY” FOR ANOTHER ELECTION, WHICH HAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE BASED ON FRAUD AS LONG AS THE NEO-NAZI UNMO/BN REGIME IS IN POWER!

Even Almighty God, the Great Judge treat with all fairness all mankind, cause rain and sunshine to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous, how can a fellow human treat or an organization cause great harm by using ISA to arrest and do not grant man rights to their freedom. This is cruelty and full of injustice in the eye of GOD. Every human being on earth is entitled to defend himself or herself but ISA deprive them of it. This draconian law found in Malaysia need to be abolished. God gave freedom to man but ISA restrict man freedom. ISA is heartless, evil,a barbaric way of curbing man’s freedom. Hope one day, Pakatan Rakyat will abolish ISA. Malaysia need freedom especially after 50 years of independence. We not only want to be bebas from the British rule but we also want to be free from fear of ISA.

ISA is not totally bad actually
If those BN fellows doesn’t abuse the usage of ISA, the ISA will benefit the country
Is like now, everything we do (against the government) will be threaten by ISA
WTF
Isn’t this is a democratic country which hav freedom of certain things.
So I don’t fully agree with abolish ISA but study bac the act carefully and make sure those fellows (u noe who) will not abuse it

Hindraf 5 should be release together with all other ISA detainees without any condition immediately. ISA should be abolished AFTER putting some of the BN leaders like Kera Jantan,Kerismuddin,Toyol,coconut brain Nazri under ISA for some time to taste the life under ISA.

We were there and it was a meaningful night for us. However we wish there could have been more people from other races to join in.
Most of them are Indians and only a handful of Chinese. ISA affects everyone of us and we should all be there to voice our discontent of this draconian law. No one should be jailed without a fair trial.

Who are u Rani?
U must be one who has benefited from the MIC. Wathyamurthi is at least outside and organising things.Dont say he got no balls cos u dont have either.The Govt has no moral right to use ISA….for what ..for speaking out the actual happening for 50 yrs??
Do u know how the poor Indians were treated before when they go to govt.offices? See the result now!
Unless rani comes from a rich family or related to some MIC leaders.
The tsunami that hit the BN WAS started by one……Utayakumar… is it fair he sufferer under ISA for that???
Why is Khairy not inside?
Why is Hishamudin not inside?
Why is Shah Kirit not inside?????
Didnt know u had such a shallow mind …..or u must be a real tubelight.

Without ISA PR have no solutions against terrorists, hate groups and instigators of racial violence.).When bombs are exploding people will be clamouring for ISA… A few may abuse ISA (against Hindraf), a few may use ISA to protect themselves (ops lallang) a few may not use ISA (to protect cronies). Remove the few….not ISA